What Do History and Philosophy of Science Graduate Students at Oregon State Do?

Graduate students in the HPS community at Oregon State come in many varieties.  We have students pursuing an M.A., M.S., or Ph.D. in History and Philosophy of Science, as well as students taking HPS  as part of the Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (M.A.I.S.) and other degree programs throughout the campus.  Any advanced student interested in the intersection of science and the humanities can take our 500-level courses.

Each graduate student on the M.A./Ph.D. track in History and Philosophy of Science must enroll in the “cohort seminar” each term, usually HSTS 599, taught as a readings seminar with a different professor each term.  In addition, M.A./Ph.D. track students are expected to enroll in courses that explore the broad range of History and Philosophy of Science, namely HSTS 513 (18th and 19th Century Science), and HSTS 514 (20th Century Science), and PHL 570 (Philosophy of Science). Other courses should be taken according to the student’s chosen specialty.

Shelby Bremigan

Shelby Bremigan is an M.A. student in the History of Science program. Her research interests primarily focus on 20th century physics, nuclear policy, and the scientists’ movement. She completed her B.A. in History at the University of Texas at Austin before moving to Oregon. Her undergraduate research focused on the Atomic Scientists of Chicago and their efforts to create the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and establish an international governing body for nuclear weapons. When she is not in school, Shelby enjoys baking, cooking, and hiking.

Lance Burch

Lance Burch is a PhD student in the History of Science. He earned his bachelor’s in History, and master’s in the History and Philosophy of Science from Florida State University.  His research interests focus on the intersection of science, policy, and the marine and riverine environment. His interests extend to oral histories—which he has experience preparing and conducting—and the dynamic between scientist and their local communities.

Marcelo Carocci

Marcelo Carocci is a PhD student in the History of Science program. Marcelo completed his undergraduate studies in Cultural Anthropology and his Master of Arts degrees in Applied Anthropology at Oregon State. His Master’s researched focused on the impact of settler colonialism on how the history of Native Populations are told in western Oregon. In switching to History of Science, Marcelo’s academic interests are, history of Medicine in the 19th century, US military history in the 19th and 20th century, and Oregon Native populations issues.

D. Cicchiello

D Cicchiello entered as a Master’s student in Fall 2017 (more bio soon).

Aimee Hisey

Aimee Hisey is a PhD student in History and Philosophy of Science. She received both her B.A. and M.A. from Oregon State. For her M.A., Aimee used inquisition cases from the seventeenth century to research inquisitional rhetoric and public practice of illicit unions in viceregal New Spain. She presented this work at the Sixteenth Century Society Conference in Bruges, Belgium in 2016. Aimee’s current research investigates the regulation and practices of Jewish medical practitioners in the Spanish viceroyalties. Aimee returned to the Archivo General de la Nacion in Mexico City, Mexico in the summer 2019 to begin her dissertation research, having conducted her M.A. research at the same archive in 2015. Further archival research will take place in Madrid at the Archivo Historical Nacional in and at the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, Spain as well. Since 2017, Aimee has worked as an instructor for Ecampus; teaching indigenous, colonial, and modern histories of Latin America.  When not teaching or studying, Aimee enjoys hiking with her husband and two dogs, Hagrid and Hermione.

Picabo Fraas

Picabo Fraas is a Master’s student in the History and Philosophy of Science Program. Picabo received a B.A. in History from the University of California – Santa Barbara. Her research interests are in late-18th / early-19th century geology and paleontology. Picabo takes interest in many areas of the globe from the British empire, to Russia, to Meiji Japan while using race, religion, and biography as a context for looking at exploration and the natural sciences. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, playing music, and hiking.

Miriam Lipton

Miriam Lipton is a Ph.D. student in the History of Science program. Miriam received her undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon where she graduated cum laude with a triple major in Biology, General Science, and Russian and a minor in Chemistry. Miriam then received an M.A., from the University of Oregon in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. Her main research focus was on the history of contraceptives and sex education in the Soviet Union. After completing her M.A., Miriam attended Georgetown University where she received her M.S. in Global Health. At Georgetown, Miriam primarily focused on neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific. Some of Miriam’s professional accomplishments include working for the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Miriam worked for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. Miriam was part of the Environment, Science, Technology, and Health team where her focus was on Arctic and health related issues. Most recently, Miriam has been working as a consultant for the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Office in Manila, Philippines working on issues related to risk management, malaria control, and neglected tropical diseases. Miriam is excited to be a part of Oregon State’s History of Science program.

Celia Oney

Celia Oney entered the program as a Master’s student in Fall 2019. She received a B.A. in Classics from Reed College. She has been working as the Reactor Supervisor for OSU’s TRIGA Research Reactor since 2015. Her research interests are in nuclear history and policy. In her free time, Celia enjoys reading, knitting, and spending time with her family and cats.

Matthew Rosenberg

Matthew Rosenberg is a PhD student in the History of Science program. His background is in argument, rhetoric and social influence, a smattering of interpersonal theory, and history. After several years of traveling abroad, he returned to Oregon State University to complete his BA in Speech Communication and MA in Rhetoric and History. He currently teaches Argument, and Public Speaking while studying rhetoric as a quasi-science and its influence on the world around us; he is specifically interested in propaganda directed at children. Matthew is a native northwestern and when not learning or teaching, you’ll find him in the mountains: skiing, hiking, climbing, playing music, and spending time with family and friends.